PAKISTAN POSSESSES TREMENDOUS
POTENTIAL TO EXPORT HALAL MEAT AND BY-PRODUCTS WORLD OVER

KANWAL SALEEM
(feedback@pgeconomist.com)
Oct 15 - 21, 2012

M/s Anis Associates (pvt.) Limited is
one of the most modern Halal Meat Processing and Exporting units in Pakistan
situated at 4-km, Raiwind Manga Road, Distt: Kasur. This plant has been approved
by Govt. of Pakistan, Govt. of Saudi Arabia, Govt. of UAE & other Muslim
Countries for the Halal Chilled and Frozen Meat.

Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi is Chief
Executive M/s Anis Associates (pvt.) Ltd. In an exclusive interview with
Pakistan and Gulf Economist (PAGE), Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi said, "Our processing
capacity is 100 M/Ton per day including Goat, Lamb, Sheep, Cow Bull, Camel in
Chilled and Frozen form." Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi maintained that the halal
products are moving into mainstream business and their demand is steadily
increasing. It is now seen as a potential engine of economic growth. Pakistan
can assume a leadership role in global halal food market, being a Muslim
country, provided proper strategies are put in place.

According to him, demand for 'halal'
foods is increasing, not only in the USA, Europe and Canada, but also in the
Middle East, Southeast Asia, North Africa and Australia. Halal consumers market
/ trade are growing fast in the world, he said, adding, Pakistan can easily
increase halal meat products exports upto US $5 billion. He said one of the
major issues faced by halal meat processors and exporters is gas and electricity
load shedding. If gas and electricity are provided to them without any hindrance
they can bring much more precious forex for the country, he opined.

Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi further said
Pakistan has tremendous potential to export halal meat and by-products. Being an
agricultural country, we have vast range of animals, he said. He added that
halal industry is expanding day by day which demonstrates the extreme importance
of this conference. "Pakistan had the fourth largest livestock population in the
world with 180 million animals growing at 4.2 per cent annually," he said.

Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi said, "We are in
a perfect position to provide Halal products to the world." He said, "Pakistan
being a genuine gateway to 470 million Muslims holds a great potential for
global Halal Industry. This is the right time to encourage international
alliances by facilitating entrepreneurs to evaluate Pakistan as an emerging
market for Halal Products & Services," he asserted.

Elaborating Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi said,
"Halal is not a mystical religious ritual, it is the science of well-being.
Halal has become a global issue, which now plays a role in government policies,
multinational corporate strategies, SME development, Research & Development and
Marketing. Halal has a major impact in the food sector and is equally important
for financing, manufacturing, processing, retail, restaurant, traveling and
hospitality sector."

Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi further said
halal industry is a fast emerging business in the world, attracting both Muslims
and non Muslims, especially non Muslims due to realising the importance of halal
food. He said, halal food is consumed not only by 1.5 billion Muslims around the
world, but also by at least 500 million non-Muslims, which shows that there is a
big scope to enter in the halal food industry, to tap the world market.

Mr. Nasib Ahmed Saifi said, it is
estimated that the annual halal food and non food products market is about $2.1
trillion of which about $80 billion is being exploited, which is 5 per cent of
total trade of agri-food products. However, halal food trade may have a share of
20 per cent of world trade in food products in near future. While the market for
about 1.4 billion Muslims already exists, the demand for halal products is now
on the rise across the globe, he added.

Talking about export potential, Mr.
Nasib Ahmed Saifi said Pakistan can earn huge amount by investing into halal
meat and exporting it after meeting local demand. European market size of halal
food is about $66 billion while France having the largest share of $17 billion
alone, he said, adding, Only in UK the halal meat sale is amounting to $600
million annually while the American Muslims spend $13 billion on halal food per
annum.

In the current scenario of devolution
under 18th Amendment, the responsibility of livestock development has been
shifted to provinces and federal government will play facilitating role in
national interest. The future plan for livestock sector is to meet MTDF targets
for meat, 5.0 per cent and milk 8.0 per cent production through shifting from
subsistence livestock farming to market oriented and commercial farming with a
focus on entire market chain. The future plan also includes entering into global
halal food trade market, he added.

About halal food certification system,
Mr. Saifi said the government needs to create a halal food certification system
in Pakistan. The system would help the country earn at least $600 million by
exporting of halal products. Presently, there is neither halal infrastructure,
nor a qualified certifier and whatever is to be exported in the name of halal
has to be certified by a foreign inspection body, mainly Malaysian companies.

He further said the emerging global
halal food market has plenty of opportunities for further growth. Thus, the
market represents a strong economic opportunity for Pakistan and Thailand. The
Thai government has lent the industry valuable support in developing a world
class halal logistics system. Thailand is currently the world's sixth largest
exporter of halal food, accounting for $5 billion in international trade and
providing food to 1.8 billion Muslims in over 157 countries. As a large Islamic
nation with strong agricultural base and good relations with Muslim countries
Pakistan may be a leading player in halal food trade, he added.

According to the Federal Bureau of
Statistics, Pakistan's export of meat and meat products touched the figure of
$153.8 million in 2010-11, showing an increase of $99.3 million over the
previous year. The official statistics indicated that 95,523 live animals were
exported during 2010-11, July-March. About 153,543 animals were exported in the
previous fiscal year which included 48,680 cattle, 50,000 buffalos, 54,716 goats
and 147 camels. These were exported to Arab countries, Central Asian states and
Afghanistan. There is no clash of interest between the two industries. The ban
should have been restricted to animals only, sparing the meat. The export of
tanned leather increased from $341.8 million a year ago to $462.3 million in
2010-2011 and that of leather products rose from $458.6 million to $540.5
million. Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development has approved the Islamic
Foundation Bangladesh (IFB) as a Halal certification body and, Bangladesh will
soon start exporting halal food and other products, competing with Pakistan in
this sector, besides textiles. The IFB has been included in the list of halal
certification bodies worldwide, i.e. Bangladesh would take its share from the
$660 billion global market for halal food.